Chairperson, allow me first to thank the hon Minister for his very frank assessment of some of the challenges that lie ahead of this department.
Whilst we recognise the many advances that have been made, there is, indeed, much work that needs to be done in order to provide more effective and better quality health care services, especially to the very poor in our country.
Our public health care sector remains largely curative in nature and more attention must be focused on prevention. This recognition has to be the first step in building a healthier nation for the future. In line with our belief that health education forms the cornerstone of any preventative health care strategy, we must advocate greater investment in preventative health care, whilst at the same time addressing the current challenges reducing the burden of disease.
We are encouraged by the mass education campaigns on tuberculosis, and the immunisation of children across the country. The outreach programmes to conduct home visits for TB testing are a positive step, but there are insufficient treatment centres to arrest the spread of TB. Whilst the establishment of new TB centres is a step in the right direction, the more we test the more we will have to treat.
Notwithstanding all of these entirely positive measures, South Africa still remains one of the leading countries in the world in respect of TB infections. Unless we make a greater investment in finding a vaccine for TB, we will continue chasing a moving target. In a recent presentation to the portfolio committee, the South African TB Vaccine Initiative, which comprises the world leaders in TB vaccine research and development, estimated that we could have a vaccine by 2016 if we make a greater investment in the research. This disease is more prevalent in the poorest communities. They are the most vulnerable in our society and we must therefore make a much greater investment in TB vaccine research and development.
Alcohol abuse in our country significantly impacts on our ability to address the huge health care challenges, especially in relation to HIV/Aids, TB and other diseases. Irresponsible behaviour linked to the high rates of alcohol abuse contributes directly to the violent crime rate, high vehicle accident rate and many other social contact crime rate.
In the end, the public health care sector has to shoulder the burden of treating millions of South Africans who are victims of crime as a result of alcohol abuse. The millions of rands that we spend annually on alcohol- related trauma treatment could have been better spent on reducing our burden of disease and building a healthier nation. We must therefore continue to advocate for a more sober society and fight alcohol abuse with the same vigour as we do smoking.
In closing, with today being World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organisation estimates that in about 10 years' time smoking will kill more people than HIV/Aids, TB, car accidents, suicide and murder combined. The ID would like to add its voice to support for the initiative to encourage more South Africans to abstain from smoking for at least 24 hours. I thank you.